MANGALURU: An emergency School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) meeting convened at Government Higher Primary School at Ankatadka in Palthady village of Kadaba taluk in Dakshina Kannada over a viral video of some children offering namaz in a classroom resolved to restrict the school premises only for academic purposes and not to give room for any activities that will affect the academic atmosphere.
In the video that was making rounds in social media, three children were found offering namaz in a classroom of the school. As the video became viral, the SDMC took up the matter with Puttur BEO C Lokesh.
The BEO held a closed door meeting with SDMC members in the school on Saturday. Later, he told reporters that the issue has been amicably resolved and it was decided to restrict the school premises only for academic activities. He said the offering of namaz in the school came to the notice of some teachers on Friday and subsequently the SDMC took it up with his office. He said all the SDMC members were united in their opinion that the school campus should not witness anything that will disturb the academic atmosphere.
In order to maintain the secrecy of the meeting, mobile phones were not allowed inside the meeting hall. Parents and public had gathered outside the school when the meeting was taking place and Bellare police had deployed personnel at the school premises as a precautionary measure.
SDMC president Praveen Bhandary said the issue has been amicably resolved and all parents have resolved to give more focus to their children's education. SDMC vice-president Sabeeha Banu said only academic activities will take place in the school and all parents have resolved not to give room for any confusion.